The School Library Association are pleased to announce the 2024 shortlist for their Information Book Award (IBA).
Sponsored by Hachette Children’s Group (HCG), and supported by Peters, the IBA aims to celebrate the importance of information books, highlight the wealth of impressive resources available and support school libraries to get the most out of them.
The award, now in its fourteenth year, is divided into three age categories, judged by a panel of educators. The judges have been astonished and delighted by the high number and quality of the books submitted this year, and have narrowed them down to a shortlist of twelve extraordinary titles. Prominent in this year’s shortlist are books which help children to find their place in the world by developing an understanding of the histories of society and culture, and their present-day relationships with others.
Chair of the judges, Margaret Pemberton, said, “It is exciting to see an expanding range of diverse themes and to have books which reinterpret the way we look at subjects such as nature and history.”
Pupils also have the chance to vote for their favourite titles to crown a Children’s Choice Winner in each of the three age categories. Voting helps children to engage with the shortlisted books and to build essential skills through teamwork and discussion. Children’s Choice voting opens now and will close on 15th October, with the winners announced in November. Schools can vote by visiting sla.org.uk/iba
Thanks to funding from the Authors Licensing and Copyright Society, we’re also delighted to be giving nearly 100 schools a free collection of the shortlisted titles through the IBA Book Club. The IBA Book Club offers pupils opportunities for positive engagement with information books, reading non-fiction for pleasure, book talk and reading as a social activity. All schools are invited to download the poster, use the learning resources and vote in the Children's Choice.
The shortlist for each age category is:
Age 0-7
- Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular, Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward (The Quarto Group)
- Salat in Secret, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Andersen Press)
- That’s Mathematics, Chris Smith (based on lyrics by Tom Lehrer), illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa (Mama Makes Books)
- Welcome to Our Table: A Celebration of What Children Eat Everywhere, Laura Mucha & Ed Smith, illustrated by Harriet Lynas (Nosy Crow)
Age 8-12
- Hear Our Voices, Radhika Natarajan & Chao Tayiana, illustrated by Alexander Mostov (The Quarto Group)
- Human 2.0, Patrick Kane, illustrated by Samuel Rodriguez (Big Picture Press)
- Lessons From Our Ancestors, Raksha Dave, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Magic Cat)
- Unspoken, Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter (Andersen Press)
Age 13-16
- How to Love: A Guide to Feelings & Relationships for Everyone, Alex Norris, illustrated by Alex Norris (Walker Books)
- Lads, Alan Bissett (Hachette Childrens Group: Wren & Rook)
- Story of Now, Shelina Janmohamed, illustrated by Laura Greenan (Hachette Children’s Group)
- Welcome to the Arts: Dance, Alistair Spalding, illustrated by Jason Raish (Big Picture Press)
The winners will be announced in November, at a ceremony hosted by Hachette Children's Group.
The shortlisted books are available at a discounted price from Peters by visiting www.peters.co.uk/iba
For more information, please visit www.sla.org.uk/iba